Screen door



May 30, .1933. F, G HANSON 1,911,275

SCREEN DOOR Filed Oct. 17, 1951 Patented May 30, 1933 FRANCIS e. HANsoN, on Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA SCREEN noon Application led ctober 17, V1,931.

lIhis invention relates to screen doors of that type in which the upper part is normally open vexcept for the screen but is adapted to be closed by a glazed sash. In

one form of such door the glazed sash is entirely removed and stored when the screen is to be left uncovered, as in hot weather. rI'his is objectionable, not o nly because of the trouble involved in removing and storing the sash but because of the storage space required and the danger of breaking the glass.V

However, with that construction it is possible, by removing the sash, to wash or clean the glass without interference from the screen. In another form, the glazed sash is retained in the door, vbut the screen is uncovered by lowering the sash between parallel but spaced panels in the lower part of the door. Vhile this form largely overcomes the objections just noted, it has the serious disadvantage of making it diilcult to clean the glass on that side which is next the screen. In fact, to reach that side it is necessary to remove the sash, which requires the partial dismantling of the door.

It is the purpose of my invention to embody in one structure the advantageous fea'- tures of the two forms referred to.` That is to say, in my door the glazed sash is not removed and stored when the screen is uncovvered, but is so mounted as to make it easily possible to clean the glass when desired. It is realized that these advantages may be secured in structures which differ in details, and I have disclosed two forms of door, in one of which the glazed sash is moved into a pocket or compartment in the lower part of the door when lthe screen is to be un covered but is readily removable from the door for cleaning. In the other form the screen is closed by a pair of glazed sashes which are slidably mounted in a common frame, much as an ordinary window. Either sash may be completely opened when desired, or both may be partially opened. The common frame is hinged within the door so that it may be opened for cleaning or for fuller ventilation. In both forms disclosed, the glazed sashes are of metal and are mounted for sliding within metal-lined grooves in Serial No. 569,471.

their respective frames. Moreover, ,means` are provided for holding the sashes in any position to which they may have been moved in their frames, and the frames are mov` able to enable the glass to bereadily cleaned. In both forms there are, therefore, the outer` door-frame, comprising the side stiles and the cross bars, an inner frame or sash movably connected with the outer frame and provided with metallic-lined grooves, and a glazed metallic sash slidably mounted within the grooves of the movable inner frame` and having means for holding the Same in various positions within said grooves.

Since the details of construction may be varied without departure from the principles of my invention, I desire it to be understood that the claims hereto appended are not to be limited to the details disclosed any farther than is made necessary by the specific terms therein employed. y

In the drawing forming a part of this application,"Fig`. 1 is a front elevation of a door embodying what is, at present, my pre,-

ferred form ofthe invention, a Part being broken away to show a portion of the screen at the rear; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale through the door, parts being broken away; Fig. 3 isa partial transverse section on an enlarged scale through Fig. 1 on the line 3 8, looking upwardly; Fig. 4 is a detailed view, partly in section, showing a portion of one of the metallic liners for the grooves in the inner sash and the means for holding the metallic glazed sash in position therein; Fig. 5 is aSectional view taken vertically through the upper rail of the glazed sash; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a door in vwhich the inner sash is pivoted to the outer door frame, and Fig. 7 is a partial transverse section on an enlarged scale :through Fig, 6 looking upwardly.

' The Ydoor shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises side stiles 10 and 11, which are connected by the top rail 12, the bottom rail 13 and an intermediate rail 14,"` which will hereinafter be referred to as the lock rail. In the space between the top and the lock rails there is stretched a netting or Ascreen 15, a portion of the same appearing in Fig.

1. This netting or screen is suitably attached about its edges and is held in place by moldings 16. The side/Stiles and the top rail are all rabbeted at 17 on their front faces. rThe lock rail is of the particular formation best shown in Fig. 2, comprising a relatively broad front portion which is iiush with the front surfaces of the side stiles, an intermediate narrow portion 14a, and a rear portion 14?), the latter rising somewhat higher than the front portion, the latter portion and the part 14?) being connected by the narrow portion 14a. This latter portion Vhas an opening therethrough in a vertical direction, for a purpose hereinafter specified. The space between the lock rail and the bottom rail is closed by a pair of panels 18 and 18a which are spaced apart so as to prog vide a pocket or compartment 19 therebetween and in communication with the opening through the portion 14a of the lock rail.

Fitted within the upper part of the door Aand in front of the screen 15 is the inner sash or frame 20, the same being of open rectangular structure, as shown in Fig. 1. The

side and top rails of this inner sash are provided with shoulders'21 which lit within the rabbets 17 of the door frame. The lower rail of the inner sash is provided with a downwardly extending shoulder 22 which fits` behind the upper part of the lock rail, as shown in Fig. 2. Vhen in place, the upper and the side rails of the inner sash eX- tend substantially to the screen, but the lower rail has its rearward surface in substantially the vertical plane of the forward wall of the opening through the lock rail. The inner sash 2() is held in its closed position by vany suitable means, as by'bolts 23, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and which are operated by a key inserted into the lock barrel, as shown at 24. By turning this barrel with its key, the lock bolts may be caused to engage with the inner frame, as will be obvious. When these lock bolts are turned to release the inner frame or sash, the latter may be removed by simply swinging outwardly its upper end and lifting it until the shoulder 22 escapes from behind the lock rail.

lVithinthe inner faces of the side rails of the inner sash are vertical grooves which are fthe channel being extended at 29 a slight dislined with thin sheet metal 25 one of the latter being shown in section in Fig.r4. This sheet metal is in the form of a vertical channel, and the bottoms of the channels are struck outwardly at intervals to form recesses at 26 for the engagement of locking devices on the glazed sash, as will later be more fully explained. The frame of the glazed sash is shown in Fig. 1, having the side and bottom rails 27 and the top rail 28, the latter rail being shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It comprises a channel member, one side of tance beyond the termination of the opposite side. The space between the sides has a filler 80, preferably of wood, which extends substantially flush with the edge of the shorter side of the channel member. The sides and bottom rails of the sash frame are like that of Fig. 5 except that the filler substantially fills the channel, as seen in Fig. 3. On all sides of the sash frame there is the projecting portion 29 against which the glass 31 is placed within the frame formed by the fillers 30. The glass is held in place by putty, as shown at 82 in Fig. 5. Within the upper part of the channel 28 and above the filler, the upper rail of the glazed sash is provided with a pair of opp'ositely extending locking rods 33, one of the same being shown in section in Fig. 5 and both appearing in Fig. 4. These rods extend to and are adapted to be projected beyond the ends of the upper sash member 28 where they may enter into, the notches 26 formed in the sheet-metal liners 25 of the grooves within the inner frame, the rods being pressed outwardly by a suitable spring 34 between them, as shown in Fig. 4. The adjacent ends of the rods 33 are bent downwardly and are carried forwardly through a slot 35 in the sash frame, being projected far enough to enable the operator to grasp them between his thumb and fingers and press them together to release Vthe rods from their notches. To prevent rain and snow from entering into the door at and below the lock rail, a suitable weather strip 36 is provided and caused to press against the rear face of the glass, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the form of door shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the side stiles and top rail are as shown in Fig. 1 and are designated by the reference character 10a, 11a and 12a, respectively. All are provided with rabbets, corresponding to the rabbets 17 of Fig. 3.. Since, in this form, the glazed sash is not lowered in the door, the lock rail 14a requires no opening therethrough.V Covering the space between the top and lock rails at the rear is the screen 15a, shown in Fig.7. In front of the screen and fitting within the rabbets 17a is an open frame 374which, like the frame 2O of Fig. 1,

- is held in place by the lock rail and the lock bolts 23a. Fitting within the open frame 37 is a sash frame 38 which is hinged at 89 to one of the sides of the frame 37 so that it may be swung open or be closed, as shown. Th-e side pieces of the sash frame 38 are grooved and the grooves are each lined'with a metallic channel member 40, the same being of double width and divided mid-way by a rib 41 to form guides for two glazed sashes 42 and 48. Either of these sashes may be moved to open thewindow either at the bottom or the top, as in ordinary window constructions, or both may be moved, Vas is obvious. The sashes are provided with means, such as shown in Fig. 4, for holding them in any position to which they may have been moved, Fig. 6 showing slots 25a to accommodate the locking rods within the sashes.

lilith this construction, the screen may be uncovered by sliding either one or both 'of the sashes 42 and 43, by swinging the sash frame 38 upon its hinges 39, or b-y removing the frame 37 from the door. The glass may be readily cleaned either when the sash frame 38 is opened or when the frame 37 is removed.

As will be noted from Fig. 4, the notches in the metallic liners have abrupt lower walls while the upper walls taper upwardly and inwardly. The abrupt walls engage with the locking rods to bold the sash against downward movement while the tapered Walls simply press the rods baclrwardly as the sash is raised so that the sash may be moved upwardly without substantial interference from the locking rods.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

l. A screen door comprising side stiles, spaced top and lock rails connecting said stiles, a screen covering the space between the top and lock rails at the rear side of the door, an open frame in front of said screen fitting said space and normally held therein, said 'trame having guide grooves in the inner surfaces of itsv sides, a glazed sash slidably mounted within the said grooves, and means for releasing the said frame whereby it and the glazed sash may be moved as a unit with reference to the door without disturbing the screen, for the purpose specified.

2. A screen door as defined in claim 1 in which the said grooves are lined with metal and the glazed sash is formed of metal.

3. A screen door as defined in claim l hav-v ing` means carried by the glazed sash and cooperating with the said open frame for holdingithe sash in different positions of adi istmcnt.

4. A screen door comprising side stiles, top and bottom rails connecting said stiles, an intermediate lock rail also connecting said stiles and forming with the top rail a normally open space, a screen covering said space at the rear of the door, an open frame fitting said opening in front of the screen, the side members of said frame being provided with vertical grooves, means Jfor removably hold: ing the frame in position within said opening, a. glazed sash carried by said frame and slidable within said grooves, and a pair of spaced panels between the lock rail and bottom` rail, the space between said panels forming a compartment in the lower part of the door and the lock rail being provided with an opening in register with the space between the panels and also in register with the grooves in the said open frame, the construction being such that the glazed sash may be d lowered into said compartment to open the sition on the doom-'and meansy for holding the said open frame in position on thedoor, and means for holding the glazed sash in various positions of adjustment within the grooves of the open frame. l'

ing a weatherstrip engaging the rearA of the'glass in theV glazed sash for preventing rain and snow from reaching the lock rail and the compartment between the said pair of panels. 1-

7. A screen door as dened in claim 4 in which the grooves in the' open frame are each provided with afmetallic lining, said lining having notches formed therein, andA means carried by the upperrrail of the glazed sash for engaging in said notches, thus to hold the said sash in any position of adjustment. i

8. A screen door comprising side stiles, top and bottom cross rails and an intermediate lock rail connecting said stiles, the top and lock rails being spaced to form an opening therebetweema screen coveringV said opening at the rear of the door, a pair of panels extending in parallel spaced relations between the lock rail and the bottom rail, the lock rail being provided with an opening in register with the said compartment, an open frame within the space above the lock rail and in front of the screen, said frame having means for engagement with the lock rail to hold the frame at its lower edge, means carried by the door stiles and adapted to engage with the said open frame adjacent its upper end to hold said frame in position on the door, the side members of the open frame being grooved vertically on their inner sidesV in alinement with the opening in the lock rail and the compartment between the said pair of panels, metallic liners within said grooves, a metallic glazed sash slidable Within the liners, and means carried by the glazed sash and cooperating with the liners to hold the sash in various positions of adjustment, the structure being such that the sash may be lowered into the said compartment or may be raised to varying heights or completely closed, while the open frame may be released by its holding means and the frame within the glazed sash removed as a unit from the door.

9. A screen door as defined in claim 8 in which the upper rail of the metallic glazed sash is provided with a pair of oppositely extending locking members, a spring for 6. A screen door as defined in claim 4 hav- .89

forcing said members outwardly, said sash rail having a slot and the locking members having means projecting loutwardly through y the said slots, whereby said members may be 5 pressed toward each other,the outer ends of said members being adapted to engage with the metallic liners of the grooves for holding the said glazed sash in any of its positions of adjustment.

1o 10. A screen door as defined in claim 8 in which the metallic liners withinthe grooves of the open frame are provided with notches, a pair of oppositely extending locking rods within the upper rail of the glazed sash and projecting outwardly in position to engage Within the notches of the said liners, and a spring for forcing said' rods towards said liners.v

11. A screen door as defined in claim 8 in y2o which the metallic liners are of channel formation, said liners having spaced recesses therein, the lower walls ofthe recesses being abrupt while the upper walls thereof taper Y upwardly and inwardly, a pair of oppositely extending locking rods within the upper'rail of the glazed sash and projecting outwardly beyond the latter to enter the notches in the said liners and rest upon the abrupt wall v thereof tohold the sash from downward movement, and a spring for forcing the locking rods into said recesses, the tapered upper walls of the recesses permitting the sash to be raised without interference by the notches. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANCIS G. HANSON. 

